Futuristic focus in museum exhibit

"Yesterday's Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future" begins March 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum, 300 E. Port Marina Drive.

The exhibit, co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and Oregon Humanities Councils, is part of the Museum on Main Street program. The Smithsonian Institution traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) developed the traveling exhibit, which opens its Oregon tour in Hood River, according to museum director Connie Rice.

The exhibit uses popular culture objects such as toys, books, movie still,s World's Fair memorabilia, car designs, advertisements, and models of architectural designs to examine ways in which Americans of the 18th, 19th and 20the centuries have envisioned the future.

Illustrations from a Popular Mechanics magazine predict a house made completely of plastic; the housewife would do her daily cleaning with a hose.

Examples of futuristic vehicles range from atomic-powered autos like the Ford Nucleon to wheel-less, air-propelled vehicles.

The museum will also display the Hood River Valley High School electrical car as part of the exhibit.

In addition to the exhibit opening on Saturday, the museum will announce the winners of the gorge-wide robot-building contest, at 10 a.m. The grand prize will be on display throughout the exhibit.

"Yesterday's Tomorrows" is not the only special exhibit on display at the museum. This year's new displays include "here Comes the Bride," "Mickey Mouse," "Grandma's 1930 Kitchen," "What Is It?" and others.